By Enitan Abdultawab
The Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha, have emerged as the driving force behind Malawi’s remarkable run at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, helping the Scorchers reach the final in their historic debut at the tournament.
Malawi began its campaign with a stunning 3-2 victory over defending champions Nigeria before defeating Egypt 3-1 to advance from the group stage. The Scorchers then came from behind to beat Ghana 2-1 in the quarter-final, securing their first-ever qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in the process.
At the heart of that historic campaign are the Chawinga sisters, whose journey to the top of African women’s football began far from the bright lights of international stadiums.
Hailing from Rumphi in northern Malawi, the sisters grew up playing football alongside boys before making their breakthrough with DD Sunshine in Lilongwe. Their partnership has since taken them from grassroots football in Malawi to some of the biggest stages in the women’s game.
